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A death row inmate from South Carolina, who was convicted of killing three men in a particularly gruesome crime, met his end by firing squad on Friday. Among his horrific acts was burning one victim’s eyes and scrawling a message in the victim’s blood.
Stephen Bryant, aged 44, was declared dead at 6:05 p.m., following his chosen method of execution carried out by a team of three prison officials.
In the moments leading up to his execution, Bryant briefly looked over at the 10 witnesses present before a hood was placed over his head. His execution occurred shortly thereafter.
Remarkably, Bryant chose not to issue any last words before his death.
Previously, on October 31, it was reported by CrimeOnline that Bryant had selected the firing squad for his execution. His death sentence was a result of a heinous crime and the disturbing taunt he left for investigators over two decades ago.
Bryant was convicted of the fatal shooting of Willard “TJ” Tietjen. After the killing at Tietjen’s home, Bryant admitted to burning the victim’s eyes with cigarettes.
Bryant also used Tietjen’s blood as paint, dipping a potholder in the blood to write, “victim 4 in 2 weeks. Catch me if you can,” alluding to a string of four victims in two weeks. Candles were lit around Tietjen’s body.
Bryant’s daughter, Kimberly Dees, testified that she tried to call her father several times and grew more concerned with each unanswered call.
On her sixth call, a stranger answered.
When she insisted on speaking with her father, the caller told her, “You can’t, I killed him,” then identified himself as “the prowler,” Dees told the judge who imposed Bryant’s sentence, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Prosecutors also accused Bryant of fatally shooting two other men in October 2004 in Sumter County—one before Tietjen’s death and one shortly after.
They said Bryant offered the men rides and shot them in the back as they stopped to urinate on the side of rural roads.
After being shot, Bryant reportedly made no noise, only a few shallow breaths and a brief spasm before being officially pronounced dead by a doctor, the Post reported.
[Feature Photo: Stephen Bryant/SC Dept of Corrections]